Midnight Marathon

Into its ninth year, the ­Bengaluru Midnight Marathon (BMM), under the theme Run for a Happy Bengaluru, thundered recently to an explosive start at the IT City premises. The 10-km marathon is the flagship event of RC Bangalore IT Corridor, D 3190, and the State Bank of India. For Club President Nitesh Shah who saw this event grow “from the size of a few hundreds to over 13,000 participants this year, it was a great feeling.” The event was launched by ace badminton player Saina Nehwal.

“The entire trail was lit up like a carnival with fun activities lined up to entertain onlookers. A rock show followed by cultural performances kept the festive atmosphere alive through the night,” says Shah. He also points out that this marathon is unique because of its timing.

The race was flagged off by the event’s brand ambassador Milkha Singh, aka the Flying Sikh, and “when the participants surged through the starting point it looked like the ­Wildebeest Migration (over two million animals migrate from the Serengeti National Park to the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Africa) that has been declared as one of the Seven New Wonders of the World, and also known as the world cup of wildlife,” adds Shah.

Other races during the day included a 10 km-run for women, followed by a similar one that had celebrities rubbing shoulders with the runners and teams promoting healthy workouts. World Boxing Champion Mary Kom and veteran sprinter P T Usha also attended the event.

With over 11,000 runners comprising 28 corporate teams, IT/ ITES companies and individuals from various States and 21 countries participating, this annual event has become akin to a festival that everyone in Bengaluru looks forward to each year, he says.

Rajani Mishra, Chief General Manager, SBI adds that “watching Bengalurians run for good health becomes more worthwhile as the money thus raised is used for charity.” The BMM fundraiser brought in Rs 3.78 crore and the money will be used to support various deserving charities across India.